Panel Receives Bids For Former Firehouse

7 Plans Submitted

July 29, 1994|By GERALD JACOBS; Courant Staff Writer

WEST HARTFORD — Seven applicants have notified the town they are interested in buying the old Brace Road firehouse and converting it to a new use.

Only one of the proposals calls for converting the former firehouse into a restaurant, a plan that drew strong opposition this spring from neighborhood residents who said they feared traffic and noise. All the offers are from developers who have previously expressed interest in the 70-year-old building.

In June, the town council's public buildings committee decided to seek a second round of proposals for the firehouse. By then, at least eight proposals had been submitted to the town, several of the plans had been altered, and a number of applicants had increased their original offers.

The deadline for new proposals is Monday, Deputy Public Works Director Mike O'Malley said Thursday. The town may get more proposals by then, he said.

``I have had a couple of others look at it,'' he said. A hearing on all proposals will probably be held in late September, O'Malley said.

The proposals received to date are from:

* Ted Carrier, who wants to convert the firehouse into retail space and offices, with an offer of $225,000;

* Gary C. Clark, who wants to convert it to residence and office space, $250,000;

* The owners of the Edelweiss Restaurant, who want to move the Farmington Avenue restaurant to the building, $200,000.

* Daswani & Sons Clothiers, who want to move their South Main Street clothing store to the building, $200,000.

* Midwood Management Corp. of New York City, which wants to convert the building into retail and office space, $150,000.

* Savino, Sturrock & Sullivan, an East Hartford financial planning company that would move its business offices there, $150,000.

* Bennett & Katz, a South Main Street accounting firm that would move its office there, $250,000.

Savino, Sturrock & Sullivan originally offered $250,000 for the building, but has reduced the offer because an analysis of the building shows that it will be extremely costly to renovate, said Peter Sturrock, a partner in the company. The company's formal proposal will be submitted to the town by Monday, he said.

``The cost is going to be over $500,000 [to renovate],'' Sturrock said. ``It needs all new mechanicals and plumbing. It's a big number and the other factor is, we took some paint samples off the wall and found lead, and that's a new wrinkle.''